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SENECA A. SWALM AND CHARLES C. SCHMITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMIRQVED FIRE-ESCAPE.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, SENECA A. SWALM and CHARLES C.' SCHMITT, of the city and State of New York, have invented and made a certain new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes3 and we do hereby declare. the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical section, representing our fire-escape as appliedto a. building, and in position for use.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the window, with the box containing the {ire-escape in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional lelevation of a portion ofthe ladder; and V l Figure 4 is a section, showing a variation in the construction ofthe ladder, to provide for using chains instead of ropes.

Similar'marks of reference denote the same parts. Heretofore lire-escapes have been tted to be wound up into the cornice outside the building, and they have also been introduced in the fordi of a folding ladder, within a box placed at the window-sill.

In the first-named positionsaid hre-escapes are costly, dill'icult to operate, and not easily kept in repair, and being outside, and exposed to Athe weather, are liable to rust.

In the last-named position, the receptacle for the {ire-escape is in theway, by occupying valuable space, and it is unsightly, and the ladder is inconvenient when in use, because there is not an opportunity to hold on to the ladder in getting out of the window, and a person is liable to fall.

The nature of our said invention consists in a {ire-escape applied at the top of the window, and inside the room, and combined with a box or receptacle having almovable bottom, that is placed so that the top sash of the window will be forced down, and the dre-escape project-ed on the outside of the building, by sliding down the inclined bottom.

We arrange our fire-escape so that it may be actuated in the room containing the same, or from theroom or rooms below.

In the drawing, a represents a portion of the front of a building; b and c arerthe sashes of a window, made in any usual manner.

d is a box ot' suitable size, and more or less ornamental, attached above the window, and within the building or apartment. This' forms the receptacle for the folding ladder composing the dre-escape, and is not objectionable in appearance, and does not occupy valuable space,'but is out of the way.

This box'is alsoadapted to forming the ornamental head-piece from which curtains are or may be suspended.

The box d has a swinging bottom, e, attached near the inner edge of the said box 0l, and thisbottom extends out of the window, below thc window-frame, and above the top edges of the upper sashes.

This bottom, e, is held-up by a latch, g, to which the cord z' is attached,.and passes down at the side of the window, or to any equally-accessible place, and, if desired, this cord z' may be passed through the door or oors vto the apartments below, in order that the fire-escape may be operated from-either of the floors below the one containing said escape.

The ladder employed is suspended from the eyes h, inside'and above the window, and within said box oZ, and is formed ivith side-ropes or chains, Z, andv cross-rangs m. A

When the ladder is folded and laid within the box d, its we ight rests upon the bottom, e, that is held up by the latch g. In this condition the window-sashes b and c can be moved asusual, but as soon as the latch gis unhooked by a pull on the cord z', the weight of' the ladder within the box. causes the bottom, e, to swing down and depress the upper sash with it, and the said bottom, e, forms an inclined plane, down which the ladder slides, and is projected on the outside of the building, and unfolds as it falls, ready for immediate use.

The upper sash may have only a limited movement, being arrested by a stop, so that the bottom sash may be opened, for a person to get out upon the ladder, and the edge of the swinging bottom may be provided with a'lip or hooks, to take the top edge oi' the upper sash, and prevent the parts separating or moving past each other The rungs m of the ladder are formed of iron tubes, having right and left-handed threads at the ends, screwing into connecting-links n n. i

These links n are made either for ropes or for chains. When made for chains, as seen in iig. 4, they have holes in them for the respective links of the chain-sections, and these links n cause the rungs to stand out from the building, to give room for the foot to come upon them. l p

When the ladder is formed with ropes, as iu iig. 3, the links 'n are mede tubular, td pass said ropes, and washers, o, between the ends of the rungs and the ropes, clump seid ropes as the tubular rangs are screwed up tightly to place. v v

This ladder isralwnys ready for instant use, without requiring the least previous preparation. It is not exposed to the weather, and cannot beeomeinjured by age, thus avoidingr eiectually the difficulties heretofore experienced with almost all the {ire-escapes before constructed.

What we claim, and desire to 'secure by Letters P11-tent, is-

1. A fire-escape ladder, attached et the upper part ofthe window, inside the building, 1n combination with a. box or receptacle for holding s'uch ladder when folded, and aswinging bottom and lftteh, applied substantially as set forth, to cause the ladder to pass outside the .building us it is unfolded for use, as specified.

2. The tubular rungs for the'ledder, formed with right and left-hand screws at their ends, in combination with the links n; 'that connect with the ropes or chains, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set oursignetures, this seventeenth day of January, A. D. 1868.

- S. A. SWALM, Y

CHARLES C. SCHMITT. Witnesses:

CEAS. H. SMITH, GEO. D. WALKER. 

